


Choosing You

by Nara



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Light Angst, M/M, Non-Traditional Soulmate Dynamics, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-10-01 21:30:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17251736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nara/pseuds/Nara
Summary: At the turn on the 20th century, a new technology was created that changed the way humans formed relationships forever. Known today as the Match System™, this technology was created to help people find their soulmates. Each person has a unique genetic fingerprint that matches with someone else, and the match devices will help them find each other.Yuuri Katsuki doesn't believe in soulmates. He believes in love. In a world where predestiny is the name of the game, can love truly be a choice?





	Choosing You

**Author's Note:**

> I have mixed feelings about Soulmate AUs. Sometimes I love them. Sometimes I hate them. But at the end of the day, I believe that loving someone is a choice you make every single day. I believe that the idea that there's only one person out there for you is completely untrue, and I believe that at the end of the day, the choice to love is yours.
> 
> This is officially the longest thing I've ever written and posted online. (I wrote a longer, unfinished InuYasha x Twilight self-insert crossover in high school, but that was handwritten, terrible, and will never see the light of day.)
> 
> I hope the new year brings you as much love and joy as you need, and as much love and joy as Viktor and Yuuri have brought me in this last year.
> 
> Here's to 2019!

“At the turn on the 20th century, a new technology was created that changed the way humans formed relationships forever. Known today as the Match System™, this technology was created to help you find your soulmate. Though the technology has evolved over the years to become more efficient and convenient, the same basic formula from over a century ago remains unchanged. A small sensor implanted in your body uses your natural biorhythms and other genetic code, as well as measuring unconscious and subconscious intent and preferences to find your soulmate. This creates a unique ‘fingerprint’ for each person. When you come into contact with someone whose ‘fingerprint’ matches yours, your sensor will glow at a pulse rate and vibrate, indicating that you have found your match. The vibration will stop, but the glow will remain, becoming solid as soon as you have made contact, indicating you and your soulmate are a match! Since the institution of the Match System™, divorce rates have gone down nearly 90%, and instances of infidelity of marriage are practically nonexistent…”

Yuuri tuned out the voice on the informational television in the lobby, and turned towards Yuuko, who was listening to the attendant that would be implanting her device. Yuuko, who had just turned 18, was registering for her Match System™ device. At 16, Yuuri was still too young, but he took the train with Yuuko to Fukuoka to give her moral support at the Registered Match Office. He listened in on what the attendant was saying to Yuuko.

“…You can choose the color your device will glow and the location where it will be implanted in your body. A couple of popular spots are in the lobe of your ear, like an earring, or just behind your ear. Some people like something more ostentatious, like in the center of their clavicle, or in position like a nose ring. Others like to keep it more private, like in their belly button or around their hipbone. It is a painless procedure, however, so you can choose wherever you would like. Honestly, I’ve seen it all. One woman had the device implanted in her vulva.”

Yuuko was unsure of what to make of that admission, but she had already made her decision. “Um, in my earlobe is fine. And I would like the light color to be pink, thank you.”

The attendant noted down Yuuko’s preferences on her application form. “Excellent. Thank you Ms…Toyomura. I will call you when it’s your turn. Please remain here for now.”

The attendant walked away and Yuuko turned to Yuuri. She seemed to be vibrating with excitement, or perhaps nerves. Yuuri couldn’t tell.

“Yuuri! Yuuri…I’m so excited! But also, what if…what if Takeshi isn’t my soulmate?” she whispered, voice wavering, “I don’t know what I’d do.”

Yuuri took her hand reassuringly, “Even if Takeshi isn’t your soulmate, you’ll find them. I know you will. And you’ll have your happily ever after. Don’t worry.”

Yuuko smiled and squeezed Yuuri’s hand tightly. When she turned away, Yuuri frowned.

He wasn’t sure he liked the whole Match System™. Sure, people seemed happy, but he also knew that there were people who were unhappy. And Yuuko clearly loved Takeshi, without the device. Didn’t that mean anything? His parents came from a generation where not everyone got the match devices, especially if they were from a small town like Hasetsu. Now the devices were ubiquitous, for anyone who wanted to find a match, at least. He knew there was a small minority of people, his sister included, who weren’t interested in soulmates so they never got a device. He also knew there was a small minority of people who hoped to find their own soulmates without the device. He had looked it up when he began questioning his own feelings. Particularly when he thought he loved Yuuko a few years ago, but knew she loved Takeshi. And that was when they were all too young for devices. It probably hadn’t helped that his family did deviate from the norm in such a way. With parents who found their love naturally and a sister who didn’t even want a device, it seemed as if Yuuri was destined to question.

Yuuri had shared his thoughts with his parents and Mari, and they, like always, were supportive. But he was afraid to come out as a skeptic, especially since he started skating on the international circuit. The eyes of the world were on him, and if he deviated from the norm too much, well, he was afraid of what might happen. He knew he would have to either decide to get a device or not eventually, but he had two more years. Hopefully that would be enough time.

The attendant came back out. “Yuuko Toyomura?”

Yuuri squeezed Yuuko’s hand one last time before she stood up. “Good luck,” he whispered and smiled. Yuuko mouthed “thanks” before following the attendant. As Yuuko left the room, Yuuri leaned back and let his head rest against the wall. He knew two years would go by in a flash. He had a lot to think about.

~~~~

Viktor Nikiforov loved love. He was thrilled with the idea that there was someone perfect out there for him. The day he turned 18 he skipped practice to get his match device implanted, much to Yakov’s chagrin.

“You could have just gone after practice,” Yakov grumbled.

Viktor beamed at him, “But what if I met my soulmate on the way to practice after I got the device? Wouldn’t that have been romantic?”

Yakov shook his head, but Viktor paid him no mind. Yakov, even though he lived in the modern metropolitan city of St. Petersburg, was of the generation where not everyone had gotten devices. Yakov had married, and divorced, Lilia. Viktor thought that was sad. Part of him thought that Yakov and Lilia could still make it work. Another part of him thought that maybe Yakov’s soulmate was still out there, and he could find love in his old age. He slung his arm around Yakov’s shoulder.

“You know, Yakov, it’s never too late to get a device! You can always find your soulmate! There’s someone out there for you!”

“I’ve had enough love to last a lifetime, Vitya. Now I’ve just got you skaters.”

Viktor fluttered his eyelashes, “Awww, Yakov! You love us?”

Yakov went to swat at Viktor, who moved his arm and danced away. “Yeah, yeah. Now get to practicing! You’ve wasted almost an entire day. Go!”

Viktor laughed as he took the skate guards off his skates and flew freely across the ice. He felt giddy, on top of the world. He was glad he lived in a society where everyone could find their someone. He couldn’t wait to find his.

~~~~

Yuuri Katsuki’s 18th birthday came and went without him getting a device. So did his 19th. No one commented, even as he skated in the senior circuit and had his life on display. At least, no one commented to his face. He read comments on his YouTube videos, and occasionally checked skating fan forums. It did come up occasionally, but since skating was a fairly niche sport, and Yuuri had yet to medal in a major event, no one ever asked him about it.

Yuuri watched interviews where Viktor Nikiforov waxed poetic about his future soulmate; about how that person inspired his skating, even without having met them. He watched as Yuuko and Takeshi, who turned out to be soulmates after all, began a life together, deeply in love. But Yuuri also looked for the cracks in the system. He joined communities online where people posted about falling out of love with their matches, but feeling trapped in their marriages because they knew there was no one else out there for them. He read about people never finding their matches and feeling broken. He read about people falling in love with their childhood friends, only to find out they weren’t soulmates and being devastated. He stared at the posters of Viktor on his wall, wondering about infatuation. About celebrity crushes. About falling in love with someone you don’t even know. He idolized Viktor, he loved him from afar. But even if that could be real love, how would he ever know? Even if he was Viktor’s soulmate…especially if he was Viktor’s soulmate. Infatuation was not love, Yuuri knew that. But didn’t infatuation matter too?

Yuuri had no way to know if these stories were true. But he knew the system wasn’t perfect. Yuuri considered himself a romantic. He wanted to fall in love without the pressure of a soulmate match. He wanted to choose someone, and have that someone choose him. He didn’t want their DNA or brainwaves or whatever it actually was to decide they were perfect, only for them to come to realize they weren’t. And maybe that meant there was no one out there for him. Yuuri wanted to find love, and he was afraid he never would. Even so, he decided he wouldn’t get a device. He didn’t buy into the system.

Sometimes, Yuuri wondered about the other types of love in the world. The love he had for his parents, for his sister. The love he had for Yuuko and Takeshi. The love he had for his dog, Vicchan. He felt that love deep in his soul, and even though it wasn’t romantic love, he knew it was true love. Why then, couldn’t he find romantic love on his own? The Match System™ promised there was someone out there for everyone, and in some ways, Yuuri agreed. He hoped there was someone out there for everyone, but the idea of predestiny was one that had always bothered him. He thought his choices should matter, and if the only way to make that work was to make the choice to not get a device, that was the choice he would make.

It was right before his 20th birthday when Yuuri’s media luck ran out. He had just won the bronze at the NHK trophy, his first medal in a major Grand Prix event on the senior circuit. Christophe Giacometti had taken the gold, and Cao Bin the silver. The post-event press conference started as usual. After a couple of questions about skating techniques and feelings about their medals, the moderator called on a reporter in the back.

“Good afternoon, gentleman. My question is for the three of you. Were you skating for anyone in particular this evening?”

Yuuri gave a small smile, “I skated for my family and friends who have all supported me. I feel like I finally have something to show them to make them proud. 

Christophe winked at one of the cameras, “I skated for my sexy, sexy fans.”

Cao was silent for a moment, before leaning in closer to the microphone. “Right before this competition, my match device went off. I met my soulmate. This most recent skate was dedicated to her.

The room was deadly quiet for a moment before it exploded. All the reporters began talking at once, clamoring to ask Cao questions about his soulmate. Yuuri shrank a little further back in his seat, worried about the turn the press conference had taken, but glad the focus was on Cao Bin, and not him. After the moderator was able to get the press to calm down, Cao answered all their questions one at a time, almost until it was time to wrap up the conference.

“We have time for one more question,” the moderator stated, before pointing to a reporter somewhere in the middle. She stood up.

“This question is actually for Mr. Katsuki,” she began, and Yuuri flinched. He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he nodded for the reporter to go ahead. She continued, “Mr. Katsuki, I want to address a rumor that I’ve heard regarding you and the Match System™. Is it true that you are almost 20 years old, and have yet to receive your match device?”

Murmurs broke out in the crowd, many of them had not heard this rumor, but some of the reporters had, and they nodded, pens and recorders at the ready. Christophe and Cao eyed Yuuri with interest. Taking a deep breath, Yuuri made eye contact with the reporter.

“Yes, it’s true.”

Christophe’s eyebrows rose to his hairline as the reporters began scribbling in their notebooks, even though Yuuri had not said much.

“Care to elaborate?” the reporter pressed, holding her recorder closer.

Yuuri closed his eyes and he took a few deep breaths before opening them again.

“I am not planning on getting a device.”

Suddenly, the room was in chaos. The moderator had given up trying to end the conference and was instead trying to calm the crowd of reporters. Someone not getting a device was a rare occurrence, and everyone was clamoring to find out why.

“Mr. Katsuki, are you uninterested in love?”

“Mr. Katsuki, are you asexual?”

“Katsuki-san! Is your career more important to you than your soulmate at this point in time?”

“Katsuki, over here! Are you worried about not being able to find your soulmate if you wait?”

Christophe cleared his throat loudly into the microphone and stared down the reporters until they fell silent. “Let’s let Katsuki speak.”

Yuuri turned terrified, but grateful, eyes to Chris before returning his gaze to the crowd. “I am not asexual, nor am I uninterested in love. This is not a move about putting my career first, and finding my soulmate later. I do not think I will ever get a device.”

The reporters began clamoring again, but Yuuri held up a hand to silence them. In for a penny, in for a pound. If this was going to come out to the media, it was all going to come out now. “I don’t believe in the accuracy of this soulmate stuff. I hate the idea of predestiny. I think it takes the choice out of love, believing that there is someone out there specifically for you. Of course, there is still the choice of whether to love your soulmate, but everyone assumes that you will. I think…I think that loving someone is a choice you make every day. After the initial infatuation fades, you stay with someone because you choose to love them, not because biorhythms told you to love them. I think love is too precarious and too precious to trust to a machine, a device. And I want someone who chooses me for me. Not because their device told them to…”

Yuuri took a deep breath and continued, “Furthermore I…I believe you should be able to fall out of love with someone. Our culture has practically eliminated divorce and adultery. Well, the adultery part is good. But I think if two people no longer love each other, they shouldn’t have to stay together. That’s…that’s part of the choice. But there are people who are unhappy. And I’m sure some of them have fallen in love again, with strangers on the street, with their neighbors, with their friends. But they stay with their matches because that’s what we do. I don’t want anyone to feel like they’re stuck with me…they shouldn’t have to be stuck with me. I want them to have the freedom to leave me. And! Also! We fall in love even before we get our devices implanted! How many of us have loved our childhood best friends? I know I did. But she loved someone else. And it turns out that person was her match, but what if he wasn’t? She was worried that he wouldn’t be. What does that say about the devices that people want to love, but are afraid they can’t? I…I know I’m in the minority. Most people are, in fact, happy with their matches. But I don’t think I could be. I would always question, always wonder, whether or not they truly wanted to be with me, or if they just wanted to be with me because I’m their designated, predestined, soulmate, or whatever. I just. I want someone to love me for me. That’s all. I won’t be taking any more questions.”

Stunned into silence, no one made a move to stop Yuuri as he stood up, bowed, and then left the press conference. Christophe and Cao quickly followed. Yuuri hurried down the hallway, feeling the walls beginning to close in and his breath coming in short, unfulfilling bursts.

“Katsuki! Katsuki! Hey, Yuuri! Wait up!” Christophe chased Yuuri down the hall, Cao right behind him. Yuuri stopped and looked at his competitors with panicked eyes. Christophe grinned.

“Well, you two certainly upstaged my gold with all that match stuff.” Cao shook his head as Yuuri glanced around, looking for an escape route. Christophe’s lips turned down. “Hey, Yuuri. Are you okay?”

“I can’t believe I did that. What have I done? I mean…I know that’s how I feel but how could I say that? To a room full of reporters? To the whole world? What have I done?”

Concerned, Christophe gently guided Yuuri down, until they were both seated on the floor. “It’s okay. Yuuri, calm down. Breathe, okay? It’ll blow over in a few weeks, when someone more famous than a figure skater makes some sort of social faux pas. It’ll be okay.”

Yuuri looked at Christophe with wide eyes and nodded slightly. “It will? I…I hope so.”

~~~~

It did not blow over in a few weeks. In spite of figure skating being relatively niche outside of the Olympics, no one so famous had ever come out against the Match System™ before. Yuuri’s press conference interview was broken into soundbites that were played on every news channel, translated into several languages, and shared across the internet. The whole world soon knew about Yuuri Katsuki, the figure skater who did not believe in soulmates.

Reporters from across the globe came to Hasetsu, even as Yuuri was training in Detroit, attempting to get an exclusive, looking in at the family that had raised Yuuri to “not believe in love.” What they found, was a set of loving, caring parents who did not have match devices, and an older sister who refused to get one for herself. It was unexpected and thus newsworthy. Gossip sites ran articles as reporters continued showing up at Yu-topia Katsuki. Mari eventually had to chase them away with her broom and a glare.

The people of Hasetsu defended the Katsukis and Yuuri, but the reporters continued to report on anything they could. Yuuri called his family in shame from Detroit.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, unwilling to look his family in the eye over Skype, “I brought this on us, on our family. I’m so sorry.”

“Yuuri,” Hiroko started in a gentle voice, “This isn’t your fault. We’re proud of you for sticking to your convictions, and for skating and trying your best. This will blow over. Whenever it happens, it will blow over. And we’ll always support you.”

Yuuri cried. His family who loved him unconditionally, supported him. He would do his best to wait it out.

Yuuri threw himself into his skating. He ignored reporters as he walked down the street, and he spent his time in his dorm, in his classes, or training. He could feel his classmates staring at him, whispering. Some attempted to get close for their 15 minutes of fame, others kept a wide berth. But Yuuri kept his head down and kept going.

In those few weeks, Viktor had watched the interview several times.

“I don’t know, Chris, if that’s the most romantic or least romantic thing I’ve ever heard. You were at the interview with him? What was it like? What was he like?”

Chris sighed over the phone, “Chéri, I’ve already told you. I don’t really know him. We were in juniors together for a while, and we’ve competed in seniors. This is the first time he’s medaled at a Grand Prix event. I’ve flirted with him before, he ran away. I assumed it was because he was saving himself for his soulmate, but that’s clearly not true.”

Viktor stared at the thumbnail of the video on his laptop screen. “Seriously though, Chris. What if he’s right?”

Tone softening, Chris tried to comfort his friend, “Viktor, the course of true love never did run smooth. But do you know how many happy couples there are since the invention of the Match System™? People are, generally, happier. Especially once they find their matches. And maybe there are some people that the system doesn’t work for. I don’t really know. But there is someone out there for everyone, you just have to find them.”

“But what if…” Viktor paused, “What if it is just the culture that’s formed? Like Katsuki said? Divorce didn’t exist until King Henry VIII broke with the Church to annul his marriage to Catherine of Aragon. And then it became a thing. And since the invention of the Match System™, divorce became a relic of the past, from when people didn’t have soulmates. But things change. Cultures change. The system hasn’t changed in over a century, at this point. What if it’s wrong?”

Chris sighed, “We don’t know any of that. At this point, there really is no way to know. But here’s the question: Do you believe you have a soulmate?”

“I-I thought I did.”

“Do you now?”

“I want to, at least.”

“Does the idea of having a soulmate make you happy?”

“Yes, absolutely.”

“Then believe in it, mon ami, because your happiness is what matters.”

Viktor nodded, though Chris couldn’t see him through the phone. “You’re right. You’re right. That’s what matters.”

After they bid each other goodbye, Viktor lay back on his couch, scratching Makkachin behind the ears. He put the thoughts of broken systems – and Yuuri Katsuki – out of his mind.

~~~~

Even though it took a while, after several months, the shock of Yuuri’s confession faded, and he fell back into obscurity outside of the skating world. He had inspired some young people to opt out of the device implant, or at least postponing by a little bit, but they still remained in the minority. Overall, not much changed.

When he was 22, Yuuri met Phichit Chulanont, and his social life, meagre as it had been before the incident, recovered. With the force of a hurricane, Phichit swept into his life and tore down all the walls he had built up with friendly persistence. One evening after an intense day of training with Celestino and an unsatisfyingly healthy dinner, Phichit brought up the topic of devices while they were sitting on their couch watching a movie.

“Hey Yuuri, I was just wondering something. But you don’t have to answer me if you don’t want to.”

Yuuri tensed, not sure what his new friend was getting at, but the simple way he phrased the question caused an anxious spike in Yuuri’s brain. “Uh, go ahead?”

“I guess, well, you know I just got my device implanted a few weeks ago? A few months after I turned 18. And I was just wondering…do you still believe all that stuff you said a few years ago?”

Yuuri was quiet for a moment. Phichit started to backtrack, “Like I said, you don’t need to answer me or anything! I know it was a big deal for you and a huge kerfuffle was made of everything and it must have been really stressful, but I was curious! I’m sorry!”

Yuuri shook his head. “No, Phichit, don’t be sorry. It’s just…” Yuuri sighed, “Yes, I still believe that. It definitely has and will make it hard to find someone. I mean, most people don’t do much hooking up outside of their soulmate matches anyway but I know people who have at least kissed someone, and stuff. Not that I would really want to hook up with anyone anyway! That’s not really my personality. But when everyone knows you’re the guy who won’t have a soulmate match, they kinda avoid you. I would like to kiss someone, you know? To eventually be with someone, but anyone with a device wouldn’t even give me a chance. It’s hard enough to make friends. I’m glad that you whirlwinded your way into my life.”

Phichit smiled gently and put his hand over Yuuri’s. “Hey, thanks for sharing that with me. I’m glad you’re my friend too,” his smiled widened into something more wicked, “And if you ever want to kiss someone, I will definitely make out with you. Just so you know. Up to you.”

Yuuri laughed and squeezed Phichit’s hand. “Thanks, Phichit. I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”

~~~~

For the next two years, Yuuri trained as hard as he possibly could to achieve his dream – to skate on the same ice as Viktor Nikiforov, to make it to the podium with him, to have him look at Yuuri like he was an equal. Yuuri put the issue of soulmates and match devices in the back of his head and focused single-mindedly on his goal.

For the next two years, Viktor continued to be at the top of the skating world. He continued to win gold and accolades, and every person he met continued to not be his soulmate. He was bored. He was depressed. He was lonely. Every year it was the same, just one more season to get through. One more podium to top. He considered retirement, but then wondered what he would do with his life. Skating was what he did, and it was how he met people. The empty place inside of him grew a little bit each day and he wondered when he would find his soulmate and if that would make him whole again.

When Yuuri was 24 and Viktor was almost 27, they met, officially, for the first time on the ice at the Grand Prix Final in Sochi.

In Sochi, Yuuri cried in a bathroom stall for his dead dog and his broken dreams. He cried for a family that he believed he had let down, he cried for what he thought was the end of his career. And he thought, for the first time in two years, about finding someone to love.

His words were muffled into his hands and choked with sobs, but in that bathroom stall, he wondered, “How could anyone ever love me? I’m a failure of a skater, a failure of a son. Without a device, no one would ever choose me. Even with one, how could someone be happy with who I am? I’m afraid. I’m tired and I’m sad and I’m destined to be alone. No one will ever love me.”

And when he was yelled out of the bathroom by an angry Russian punk, when he walked down the hall with his costumes in his suitcase and Viktor Nikiforov looked right through him and said, “A commemorative photo? Sure!” – Yuuri heard all of his depressed spiraling thoughts confirmed.

Viktor, too, was tired and sad and lonely. And when he looked through Yuuri, he barely saw a fellow competitor. His match device did not, could not, go off. He just saw someone for whom he had to be Viktor Nikiforov, gold medalist, skating champion. He did not mean to offend his competitor, and he felt bad when the younger man walked away, dejected. But at the same time, he could not bring himself to care.

And then – the Grand Prix Banquet.

~~~~

Yuuri stumbled around the banquet, champagne bottle in hand. He felt lighter than he had in a long time. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this light! He grabbed Sara Crispino out of a conversation with her brother and another one of the ladies’ skaters. Sara had always been nice to him, he liked her.

“Sara!” he slurred, “Dance with me!”

Sara laughed as Yuuri spun her, clumsily at first, but then with more confidence. “Yuuri! You’re drunk!”

“Yup!” Yuuri popped the “p” at the end of the word, and continued spinning her around the dance floor. She tried to grab the champagne bottle out of his hand, but Yuuri deftly kept it away, even while holding Sara in his arms.

“Let her go, you…you deviant!” Michele cried across the dance floor, chasing them down, “I’ll only relinquish Sara to her true soulmate! And even then, they’ll have to prove themselves worthy!”

Coming to a stop in front of Mickey, Yuuri blinked at him as Sara pouted.

“Mickey, we’re just danc– “

“I’m nobody’s soulmate,” Yuuri interrupted, dejected, yet somehow fiercely.

Mickey frowned, “Exactly! You’re a degenerate and a deviant! So stay away from my sis– “

“Shut up, Mickey,” Sara elbowed her brother in the ribs, and then turned to Yuuri, “Yuuri, it’s not too late to get a device. You can still find your soulmate…”

“Nah,” Yuuri said, beginning to lose interest in the conversation, “No one would want me anyway.”

Sara frowned, “Yuuri, that’s not exactly how it works. There’s a match out there for you, someone who is destined to be with you…”

Yuuri waved a hand at Sara, indicating he was done with the subject and then wandered away, chugging more champagne. As he emptied the bottle, he put it on the tray of a passing waiter. Spotting Yuri Plisetsky in the corner looking put-out, he sauntered over.

“Yuri Pliset-Plsietsky!” He shouted, drawing the attention not only of the young teen, but of several people standing nearby. “You wanna be the only ‘Yuri’ in the senior circuit? Well…prove it! Dance off!”

Yuri looked down his nose in disgust. “You’re wasted. There’s no way I’m going to dance off with you.”

Smugly Yuuri walked up until he was in the younger skater’s face, and poked him in the chest. “You’re just scared. Scared I’ll wipe the floor with you. You’re a chicken!”

Yuuri started clucking, backing up so he could wave his arms like chicken wings. Onlookers began to crowd around the scene.

Yuri snarled, “That’s it! I’m going to kick your disgusting ass! Dance floor! Now!”

Yuuri cheered and dragged his competitor to the dance floor. Pushing his way to the center, he pointed to the DJ, “Kick it!”

Looking around the confused crowd the DJ shrugged, and began playing some dance music. Yuuri immediately did a back handspring, landing gracefully on his feet and turning into a pirouette, ending with an arabesque. An odd combination to be sure, but it seemed to work.

Yuri’s jaw dropped, but he quickly recovered, determined not to be beaten. He launched himself into some aggressive dance moves and Yuuri continued to twirl around him. Many of the other banquet attendees began to draw around, torn between curiosity and shock at the breach of decorum.

Viktor looked up from where he was sitting at a table with Christophe, glass of champagne in hand. “It looks like something interesting might be going on over there.”

Chris stood up and offered Viktor his hand. “Come on, let’s check it out. It certainly can’t make this banquet any _more_ boring.”

Pushing to the front of the quickly growing crowd, Viktor froze, watching his young rinkmate and his competitor breakdance, of all things. Christophe laughed delightedly. “Oh, now this is interesting!”

Yuri collapsed on the ground after an aborted kip-up, and yielded. Yuuri cheered. “I win!”

Spinning around, he caught sight of Viktor. Rushing over and flinging his arms around Viktor’s neck, Yuuri smiled widely, “Viktor! Vik-toooor! Did you see me? I totally won!”

Unsure how to handle the man he barely knew that was now in his arms, Viktor just nodded. “Uh, yes. You did.”

Hugging Viktor tightly, Yuuri continued, “I always admired you, you know? But I fucked it up. You don’t even know who I am, do you?” he peered into Viktor’s face, “But I’ll show you! I’ll prove myself to you! I know! I’ll have another dance off! And then you’ll see! If I win this next dance off, you’ll be my coach, won’t you Viktor? Be my coach, Viktor!”

Viktor’s heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, but it was making him feel…something. Christophe gently pried Yuuri out of Viktor’s arms.

“Come on, Yuuri. You’re a little bit drunk.”

Yuuri’s eyes lit up. “Christophe! You’ll dance with me! Then I’ll win and Viktor will be my coach!”

Christophe laughed, sure he could get Yuuri to back down. “Of course, but only if I get to pick the style of dance.” He leaned in to whisper in Yuuri’s ear. Viktor strained to hear what Chris said, but was unable to tell. Yuuri put a finger to his lips in contemplation.

“Okay.”

Christophe was startled. “Okay?”

Yuuri grinned. “Okay!” And then he took off his pants.

Someone in the crowed whooped and Christophe shook his head. “Okay, I guess this dance off is on!” Stripping down to his boxers, he led Yuuri to a pole that Viktor was certain hadn’t been there a moment ago. Christophe turned to face the crowd and winked. “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you: the most interesting thing to ever happen at an ISU banquet! Yours truly, and Yuuri Katsuki live! On the pole!” And he hauled himself up onto the pole. After doing an impressive few flips and tricks, he slid down, making room for Yuuri to go.

Yuuri walked around the pole, holding his head high and looking for all the world like he owned the place. Throwing a sultry wink in Viktor’s direction, he jumped – holding himself up with his thighs clenched around the pole and leaning outwards, arching his back and waving his arm in a graceful arc.

Viktor clutched his chest. He was absolutely entranced. Infatuated. Something interesting was happening, and he wanted to see what came next.

Yuuri pulled himself up to the top of the pole using his arms, and then pressed himself into a full split, flipping his body so his feet were above his head. Walking his hands down the pole, he did a backflip, and gracefully landed on the ground. The crowd cheered. Yuuri hurried to Christophe and whispered in his ear, then climbed back on the pole. Christophe waved at the crowd and then joined Yuuri on the pole. Somehow, when no one was looking, they had grabbed a bottle of champagne, and they began incorporating it into their routine.

Viktor had had crushes before. Everyone did, he was sure, but he, just like everyone else, had never acted on them. But he had never felt this longing for anyone who wasn’t his soulmate before. He wished that Yuuri could be his soulmate, if only because he wanted to get to know this extraordinary contradiction of a man. A skating competitor who did solidly in the short, but completely bombed the free. Who walked away from him even though he was clearly a fan. Who got drunk at an official banquet and climbed a pole like he was meant to be there, entrancing everybody in the room with a wink. If not soulmates, Viktor wondered, hoped, that maybe they could be friends? He considered Yuuri’s plea for him to be his coach. A drunken confession, or one made in earnest? Viktor didn’t know.

While he was busy contemplating, Chris and Yuuri had finished the routine. As soon as he was on the ground, Yuuri flung himself back into Viktor’s arms.

“Viktor! I did great, right?”

Viktor smiled gently, pulling Yuuri a little closer. “Yeah, you definitely did.”

Yuuri beamed at him, pulling away and then grabbing his hand. “Come on! Dance with me!”

Once again in the middle of the dance floor, Yuuri spun Viktor around. Dancing a tango, a waltz – it didn’t matter what music was playing, Yuuri _made_ the music with his body. Laughter bubbled out of Viktor’s chest, he felt happier than he had felt in years. As Yuuri dipped him, one hand behind his head and one holding his leg, Viktor held Yuuri’s gaze and thought, “I could love this man.”

_But what about your soulmate?_ A little voice whispered immediately. Viktor ignored both thoughts and continued dancing. He would have time to ruminate later, but for now, he was going to enjoy himself.

After the dancing ended and Celestino came to peel his drunken skater off the floor and into bed, apologizing all the while, Viktor realized he had not gotten Yuuri’s number. Viktor trudged back to his own hotel room, wondering. “If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be,” he mumbled, falling into bed, “The universe will bring us back together.”

~~~~

Yuuri Katsuki fell off the face of the map after the GPF banquet. Rumors flew about his separation from coach Celestino and his return to his hometown in Japan. Phichit posted a photo of the two bidding a tearful goodbye at the airport on his instagram.

At first, Viktor called Chris every few days with a new question, something that was bothering him.

“Christophe, do you think he could be my soulmate, but we wouldn’t know because he doesn’t have a device? What if we’re exactly compatible, but because he didn’t join the Match System™ we’ll never know for sure?”

“I suppose that’s possible, mon ami, but there’s no real way to know.”

Viktor pouted, even though Chris couldn’t see him. “This is so complicated! I don’t know what I should do!”

Chris laughed lightly into the phone, “I can’t make that decision for you, Viktor. What are you even looking for, here? Do you want to be his coach, like he asked? His friend? Are you looking for a lover outside of your soulmate match? Then what happens if you find your soulmate?”

Viktor groaned and sank back into his couch cushions. “I don’t know, Chris. I really, really don’t know what I want. But for the first time in a long time, I know I want _something_. That’s gotta mean something, right?”

“Again, that’s up to you. But if you want to do something, you should really think about it.”

Viktor “hmmm”ed into the phone, promising Chris he wouldn’t make any rash decisions. After bidding his friend farewell, he gathered up his skating gear and headed to the rink. He had a couple of programs he was working on, and he wanted to refine them.

If not for the programs he was working on, he may have almost forgotten about Yuuri Katsuki and the night at the banquet the man was so absent from his life. But as it stood, On Love: Eros, was about being seduced by a man who swept in out of nowhere, as Yuuri had swept into his life, and out of it again, on that banquet night. On Love: Agape was about the longing and love he had for his unknown soulmate, even as he was beginning to question everything he had thought he’d known about love.

But it wasn’t until the viral video that Viktor made his decision. “[Yuuri Katsuki] Tries to Skate Viktor’s Free Skate [Stammi Vicino]” was sent to him by everyone he knew, and he was tagged in reposts several times on Twitter. After watching for the twelfth time, he called Christophe.

“Chris, I’m going to Japan.”

“I know, chéri. I figured, at least. What are you going to do when you get there?”

“I’ll be his coach. The rest…I’ll figure out as I go along.”

“Good luck.”

Viktor booked his flights, arranged to have his things shipped, and used his connections to get Makkachin to fly alongside him and skip the quarantine period. He packed a bag of necessities for the flight, and waited.

Viktor Nikiforov was going to figure out something, though he didn’t know what yet, but he was ready for his life to change.

~~~~

Yuuri was not like Viktor expected. He did expect that a sober Yuuri would be at least a bit more reserved than a drunk Yuuri, but he did not expect the man to run away from him. Even so, Viktor felt like pushing boundaries. Viktor was an affectionate person, even though he’d been alone for most of his life. Perhaps that’s why he was so affectionate with rinkmates and colleagues. He felt no need to save his boundless, casual affection for his soulmate, though he, like many others, did not pursue romantic relationships.

Nonetheless, Viktor asked to sleep with Yuuri (platonically!) He wore his jinbei loose deliberately so it fell just so off his shoulders. He poked and he prodded to make Yuuri flush and stammer. He wanted Yuuri to feel like he had that night of the banquet. That whatever it was…it was something. Something that was enough to make Viktor begin to question everything.

Viktor wasn’t even sure Yuuri really wanted him to be there until Yuri showed up.

“…I want you to stay, and I want us to eat katsudon together.”

Viktor knew, in that moment, that it wasn’t a mistake to come to Japan. Because in that moment Viktor knew that Yuuri felt something – anything – too.

~~~~

Yuuri and Viktor were up late one night, reviewing old competition footage and comparing it to the phone videos Viktor had filmed earlier that afternoon. Viktor paused the video on the TV where Yuuri had taken a bad fall after a jump before playing a short clip on his phone.

“See, Yuuri – you have a bad habit of taking off for the lutz too early. It’s definitely something you need to work on. But before,” he gestured to the TV, “it knocked you down and always threw you off your rhythm, but lately,” he waggled his phone, “you’ve been getting up and brushing it off more easily. So that’s good.”

Yuuri groaned and let his head fall to the table. “It’ll throw me off my rhythm in competition, probably.”

Viktor rubbed soothing circles into Yuuri’s back, “Don’t think like that. You’ve been doing well in practice. Your jumps are becoming more consistent, we just have to keep drilling. And take proper rest days.”

“Like you ever took a proper rest day when Yakov told you to,” Yuuri grumbled into the table.

“But you’re a better student than I ever was!” Viktor said brightly.

As they fell into a comfortable silence, Viktor noticed he was still rubbing Yuuri’s back. He hesitated for a moment, pausing his movements, unsure of what to do. Yuuri turned his head so he was looking up at Viktor. “Hmmm? Why’d you stop? Is everything okay?”

Viktor resumed rubbing circles into Yuuri’s back. “Yeah, um, this is okay?”

Yuuri sighed contentedly. “Yeah, it’s good.”

Viktor felt his heart thumping in his chest. He hadn’t quite noticed when he had gotten close enough to Yuuri that he allowed this type of contact. He remembered the day on the beach where Yuuri told him that he wanted Viktor to simply be himself – on that day, Yuuri also told him of a story where he pushed a girl away when she tried to hug him comfortingly, to hide his feelings and his discomfort. Viktor could tell Yuuri was comfortable around him now, where he hadn’t been before. Yuuri wasn’t hiding his feelings, but what those feelings were, Viktor couldn’t tell, exactly.

Lost in his musings, Viktor didn’t notice that Yuuri had fallen asleep until he started to softly snore. Looking down at his student, Viktor marveled at how peaceful he seemed. A surge of affection rose through him. He tapped Yuuri lightly, trying to wake him up. “Come on, sleepyhead. Let’s go to bed.”

Yuuri mumbled something incoherent, but otherwise did not stir. Viktor shook his shoulder a little more firmly. “Yuuri, come on. You’ll get cramps and muscle aches if you sleep like that. It’s not comfortable.”

Blinking sleepily, Yuuri looked at Viktor from underneath his eyelashes – a look that shot straight through Viktor’s heart. Yuuri stood up slowly. “Mmmkay. G’night, Viktor.”

Hand clutching his chest, Viktor watched Yuuri stumble away. “Damn,” he whispered, “I’m definitely in trouble now.”

~~~~

Viktor sat with Yuuri’s family and friends in the main room of Yu-Topia Katsuki to watch the press conference where Yuuri would announce his theme for the season. Viktor knew Yuuri’s theme was “love,” a strong, yet controversial choice for Yuuri, who did not subscribe to the Match System™. Especially with a short program like, “On Love: Eros,” Yuuri was beginning to cause a stir and his interview from a few years prior was making the rounds again.

As Yuuri announced his theme, Viktor followed along with the rapid Japanese as best as he could.

“…Viktor is the first person I’ve ever wanted to hold on to. I don’t really have a name for that emotion, but I’ve decided to call it ‘love!”

Viktor heard a sharp intake of breath, and realized it was him. Yuuri’s friends and family were staring at him, but he certainly couldn’t have heard that right. “Yuuri…loves me?”

Glancing at Minako to his left, who was eyeing him critically, Viktor knew he had understood correctly. Though Yuuri had clarified it wasn’t necessarily as clear-cut as romantic love, Yuuri had said that he loved Viktor. This was something he needed to think about. At the earliest moment he felt it was polite to leave, Viktor excused himself to go to his room.

Climbing into bed with Makkachin jumping up next to him, Viktor buried his face in her fur. Yuuri loved him, in some undefinable way, shape or form. Viktor thought to the question he had asked Chris months ago, before he ever came to Japan. What if Yuuri was his soulmate, but they just didn’t know? Viktor touched behind his ear, where his device was implanted. People would ask him about this. With a theme like this, they wouldn’t just focus on Yuuri and his skating. As Yuuri bucked tradition and refused to get a device, people would wonder how he really felt about love. They would ask Yuuri if he thought that Viktor should give up his future soulmate for him. They would ask _Viktor_ if he was going to give up his future soulmate for Yuuri.

Viktor groaned, hugging Makkachin tighter. He knew this was going to be a hard path to walk. But he also knew, without a doubt, that in some vague, undefinable way, shape or form…he loved Yuuri too.

~~~~

“Yuu-ri! Yuuri, you’re wearing too many clothes! You can’t wear clothes in a hot springs.” Viktor was hanging off of Yuuri in their booth at the hot pot restaurant, shirt and pants nowhere to be found. Phichit was surreptitiously snapping pictures as Celestino passed out on the table.

Yuuri looked at Viktor with a fond, if exasperated, smile. “Viktor, we’re in a hot pot restaurant. Not hot springs. We left the onsen back in Japan. Can you tell me where your pants are?”

“No pants in the hot springs, Yuuri!” Viktor nuzzled Yuuri’s cheek and Phichit snapped another photo.

“I think he likes you, Yuuri.” Phichit laughed as Viktor climbed into Yuuri’s lap. Yuuri attempted to push him off with little success.

“Viktor is just like this. He’s always been affectionate. I don’t think it means anything.” Viktor began to busy himself with unbuttoning Yuuri’s shirt. His clumsy, drunk fingers were not particularly adept at the task, especially as Yuuri kept swatting him away.

“You don’t think…” Phichit started, “You don’t think he could love you?”

Yuuri shook his head. “I don’t think so. I mean, he has a soulmate out there somewhere. Predestined to be his match. And because of the device, he’ll find them. I don’t want him to give that up for me.”

“But what if you were his soulmate?” Phichit pressed, “What if his match device never went off simply because you don’t have one?”

Yuuri frowned, “I don’t know, Phichit. And I’m honestly not sure I like that idea. That Viktor only likes me because of some predestiny pushing us together? It’s still not a choice. I don’t know. It’s complicated and contradictory. I want Viktor to like me. I…I definitely like him…”

“You declared your love for him on international television, Yuuri.” Phichit interrupted. Yuuri turned bright red.

“Shut up! Anyway! I _like_ him. But maybe the best choice for me is to be alone. I don’t want to be. But I can’t deny Viktor his happiness just because I want to keep him. And I feel icky about fate pushing us together. I don’t know. I hate not being in control.”

Phichit stared at Yuuri, “Okay, Yuuri, bear with me for a moment. But what if you make Viktor happy? Regardless of predestiny. Regardless of whether the device is right or wrong. What if you just make each other happy?”

Yuuri smiled sadly. “I don’t know, Peach. I really, don’t know.”

Viktor chose to reinsert himself in the conversation at that moment, “Are you guys talking about me?”

Yuuri smoothed Viktor’s hair. “Yes, we are. We’re talking about how it’s time for you to go to bed. But first we need to find your clothes. You can’t walk back to the hotel in your underwear.”

Viktor perked up, “Yuuri if I get my clothes will you sleep with me?”

Phichit spat out his drink. Laughing awkwardly, Yuuri passed his friend a napkin as Viktor pulled his pants and shirt out from underneath the table. After recovering Phichit waggled his eyebrows, “Are you sure there’s nothing going on, Yuuri?”

Yuuri helped Viktor back into his clothes. “First of all, he means platonically. Second,” he turned to address Viktor, “There are two beds in our hotel room. There’s no need to share.”

Viktor pouted and Yuuri wrangled him out of the restaurant, waving goodbye to Phichit and Celestino, who was just waking up. The cooler nighttime air sobers Viktor up a little bit, as he tried to recall the pieces of the conversation he heard between Yuuri and Phichit. One thing stuck out to him.

“Yuuri…” Viktor began, slowly, “Do you really think I don’t love you?”

Yuuri nearly tripped over his own feet. “Viktor…what?”

Viktor took hold of Yuuri’s hand and tugged them to a stop at the side of the street. “Yuuri…I can’t tell you exactly what I feel because I don’t know. But like you said in your press conference, I choose to call this emotion ‘love,’ and I hope it’s something we can figure out together.”

“Viktor, you’re drunk, you don’t…you don’t know what you’re saying.”

Viktor pouted. “I’m not so drunk that I don’t know what I’m saying. Yuuri…don’t you want to figure this out with me?”

Yuuri hesitated, and Viktor began to pull away, but Yuuri stopped him. “I…I do. I want to figure this out with you.”

Viktor beamed, a beautiful, heart shaped smile which Yuuri returned shyly. Linking their fingers together, Viktor tugged Yuuri forward. “Come on, then. Let’s get back to the hotel.”

~~~~

Viktor had kissed him. _Viktor had kissed him_. With Viktor taking a shower, Yuuri had some time to think. He sat at the edge of the bed, touching his finger to his lips. He could still feel the warmth of Viktor’s breath that had contrasted with the cold of the ice against his back. It all happened so fast, but Yuuri tried to remember…

_Yuuri held his final pose after the free skate at the Cup of China, breathing heavily. The quad flip had taken a lot out of him, and he fell, but he knew, he knew that he had gotten the rotations in. Seeing Viktor running towards the entrance to the rink, Yuuri quickly skated over. Was Viktor surprised? Angry? As he approached the entrance Viktor leapt towards him, tackling him to the ice with a kiss. Looking into Viktor’s eyes after hitting the ice, Yuuri was stunned, but Viktor smiled at him brilliantly._

_“That was the only thing I could think to do that would surprise you as much as you surprised me.”_

Yuuri startled as he heard the hairdryer turn off and Viktor emerged, wearing only a towel around his waist. Even though he had seen Viktor naked in the onsen plenty of times, this somehow felt more intimate after they had shared a kiss. Viktor came to sit next to Yuuri on the bed, and Yuuri politely turned his gaze away.

“Yuu-ri~ Can’t you look at me?”

Yuuri snapped his gaze to Viktor, who was smiling at him teasingly. His eyes sparkled and he reached for Yuuri’s hand. “As soon as I saw you do the quad flip I just really, really wanted to kiss you. And as soon as I did, I thought, ‘Wow. Why didn’t I do that before?’ Was…was it okay? I know I didn’t really ask you first, and even though we said we were going to explore this love thing together, I don’t know if you actually meant romantically or platonically like friends or…”

Yuuri cut Viktor off with a quick kiss. “I didn’t really ask you first. Was that okay?”

Viktor nodded dumbly.

Smiling, Yuuri scooched closer to Viktor. “It was okay for me too. More than okay. Viktor, even though things are confusing, and…and I know you have a soulmate…and maybe I don’t, or I do but don’t know it, or whatever, but…but whatever this is. I want to figure it out with you.”

Viktor flung his arms around Yuuri and squeezed him tightly. “Yuuri! Can we…can we sleep together tonight?”

Yuuri blushed but nodded, “As long as you mean like, just sleeping, then yes, yes. I really want to.”

Viktor leaned back a little and put one hand under Yuuri’s chin, tilting his face upward. “Yuuri, may I kiss you again?”

“Yes,” Yuuri breathed, and Viktor pressed their lips together. The kiss was gentle, chaste, but it was full of love and promise.

As they pulled apart, Viktor leaned back on the bed. “You know, Yuuri, you didn’t spend much time in my room in the evening before, but I usually sleep in the nude.” He winked.

Yuuri reached back for a pillow and hit Viktor with it. “No you don’t! We’ve stayed in hotel rooms together before, and I know you have pajama pants.”

Viktor laughed and Yuuri hit him with the pillow again. Wresting it away, Viktor threw it to the floor and grabbed Yuuri, kissing him again. “I’m going to do that a lot, you know. Now that I have permission.”

Yuuri grinned, “Good.”

~~~~

The next day, international news headlines were full of this kiss between Yuuri Katsuki, noted soulmate skeptic, and Viktor Nikiforov, a man who had previously been known to be looking for his soulmate.

Yuuri flipped through the news on his phone, clicking on headlines, but not really reading the articles.

“Coach Viktor Nikiforov kisses student Yuuri Katsuki! What does this mean for his soulmate?”

“On ice kiss? A five-camera angle examination”

“A triumph for love or the path to a broken heart? Love in the time of the Match System™”

Viktor gently took Yuuri’s phone out of his hand and clicked it off. “None of that, love. You’ll just make yourself anxious.”

Yuuri bit his bottom lip, considering. “We should probably talk about the whole soulmate thing.”

Shaking his head, Viktor pocketed Yuuri’s phone, then took his hand. “The soulmate thing doesn’t matter. What matters right now is me and you and skating at Rostelecom.” Viktor kissed Yuuri’s hand, and though Yuuri still wasn’t convinced, he conceded the point for now. He had to do his best at Rostelecom to prove to the world his love for Viktor.

~~~~

Yuuri did not skate his best at Rostelecom. Without Viktor, he fell apart. He knew Makkachin’s health was the most important thing. He sent Viktor back to Hasetsu, knowing how much Viktor would hate himself if the worst came to pass. Makkachin needed Viktor, but Yuuri needed Viktor too. He failed, yet again, though he made it into the Grand Prix Final by the skin of his teeth.

Hugging Viktor in the airport after his lackluster performance, Yuuri felt unworthy. He nonetheless clung tightly, speaking softly into Viktor’s shoulder.

“Please take care of me until I retire.”

Viktor smiled into Yuuri’s hair, “That almost sounds like a marriage proposal. I hope you never retire.”

Maybe Yuuri was selfish, keeping Viktor to himself, keeping Viktor from his soulmate. But at the moment, he didn’t really care. He wanted all of Viktor and he was going to keep him for as long as he could.

Walking hand-in-hand, Viktor and Yuuri returned to where Mari was parked with the onsen’s van, waiting for them. Climbing into the back seat with a fully recovered Makkachin in their laps, they held each other closely, as if coming apart would be the death of them.

With Makkachin’s clean bill of health Yuuri felt as if the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders. He would soon need to prepare for the Grand Prix Final. He would soon be full of anxiety, full of fear. But for now, he felt at peace.

Unwilling to be apart, Viktor and Yuuri fell into Viktor’s bed together, Makkachin curled up by their sides. Yuuri was happy, holding Viktor, listening to the man’s gentle breathing as he slept. Running his hand through Viktor’s hair, Yuuri prayed, “Please, just let me hold on to him for just a little longer.”

~~~~

The Grand Prix Final arrived far too quickly for Yuuri’s liking. He and Viktor trained nonstop to prepare, so Yuuri could give his best performance. Viktor knew Yuuri could win gold. Yuuri was not so sure.

Barcelona was beautiful. After practice ended at the rink, Yuuri begged Viktor to go sightseeing. He just wanted to spend time together. With how readily Viktor agreed, in spite of the competition the next day, Yuuri could tell Viktor wanted to spend time with him too.

Shopping and eating together, acting like tourists and generally goofing around – this was the most fun Yuuri had had in a while, and it was definitely the most relaxed he’d ever been the day before a competition. Even arguing about the lost bag of nuts did little to diminish his mood. As he and Viktor walked around after the argument, nonetheless a little stilted, they ended up in the Christmas Market. A thought occurred to Yuuri.

“Viktor, what do you want for your birthday?”

“Hmm?”

“Your birthday. There must be something you want.”

Viktor shook his head, “I don’t really want anything. I never really celebrated my birthday, or Christmas for that matter, back in Russia, even though they fell on the same day.”

Yuuri frowned, considering. He and Viktor wandered through the market, stopping at stalls and shops that caught their interest, but not buying anything. Out of the corner of his eye, Yuuri spotted a jewelry store. He beelined towards it, Viktor following curiously.

At the counter, Yuuri found exactly what he was looking for – a pair of rings, each engraved with a snowflake. Yuuri asked for the rings to be boxed up and purchased them immediately, wincing slightly at the price. He was willing to pay, however. He was willing to pay any price for Viktor.

Yuuri pulled Viktor up the steps of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross. With the beautiful church in the background, Yuuri took the rings out of his pocket.

“Viktor…this time I’ve spent with you has been so important to me. You’re so important to me. And…and I wanted to get you something that showed that.” Yuuri slipped the glove off of Viktor’s hand and held up one of the rings. “This ring is a good luck charm. It’s…it’s a promise ring, of sorts. I know, I know there’s all sorts of things going on that complicate, well, everything. But with this ring, I make a promise to you,” sliding the ring onto Viktor’s finger, Yuuri continued, “I promise that I will stay by your side as long as you will have me.”

Viktor’s eyes shined as he took the other ring from Yuuri, returning the gesture and sliding it onto his finger. “And I promise to stay by your side. As long as you will have me.”

Holding Yuuri’s hand, the hand he had just put a ring on, Viktor leaned in, his lips mere centimeters from Yuuri’s own.

At that moment, Viktor’s match device went off.

Viktor put his hand to the device behind his ear that was vibrating and flashing, breaking away from Yuuri and looking around wildly. There was only one person in the square whose device was also flashing. He approached Viktor cautiously.

“H-Hi,” the man began, “I’m Guillermo, and I think we’re soulmates.”

Viktor frantically looked towards Yuuri, but he was not there. He spotted Yuuri a distance away, walking quickly back towards the hotel. Viktor knew he could catch him if he ran. He turned back to Guillermo.

“Hi…I’m Viktor.”

~~~~

Viktor pulled the door closed behind him slowly as he walked into the hotel room he shared with Yuuri. It fell shut with a soft click. The lights were off and Yuuri was in bed, facing the wall, but the unnatural stillness in his shoulders betrayed the fact that he was not asleep.

“Yuuri…” Viktor whispered, “Yuuri, can we talk?”

Yuuri flinched but said nothing. Viktor went to sit next to him at the foot of the bed.

“Yuuri, please.”

Yuuri rolled over and looked at Viktor. Even in the darkness, his eyes were dull. Yuuri sat up and flipped on the lights. His eyes were red and puffy – Viktor knew he had been crying. Viktor opened his mouth to speak, but Yuuri held up his hand to stop him.

“Viktor…after the final, let’s end this.”

Viktor froze. “Wh-what?”

Yuuri avoided Viktor’s gaze, keeping his eyes trained on the floor. “After the final, let’s end this. I’ll retire so you don’t have to coach me anymore. You can…you can go be with your soulmate. I’ll go back to Hasetsu.”

Viktor could feel the tears that had already begun trailing down his cheeks. He stared at Yuuri silently. Finally, Yuuri looked up to meet Viktor’s eye and he gasped. Reaching towards Viktor, he pulled his hand back at the last moment before touching his face.

“Viktor, are you crying?”

“Of course I’m crying!” Viktor shouted, breaking into sobs, “Are you breaking your promise to me already?”

Yuuri looked confused, “Promise? Viktor, I’m letting you go. You can be with your soulmate. I know…I know that’s what you’ve always wanted. You don’t have to feel beholden to me…I know I’m nothing. Not…not compared to him.”

Viktor was angry. “I’m not. How do. How do you know what I want? You promised me, Yuuri! You promised me that you’d stay by my side as long as I’d have you! And now you’re throwing me away? You promised me less than an hour ago! You promised! You promised…”

Viktor covered his face with his hands, attempting to muffle his sobs as his anger faded out of him. He felt tired.

“I-I don’t want you to leave,” Yuuri’s voice was small, “…but your soulmate…”

“Who cares?” Viktor mumbled. He lifted his face and suddenly leaned forward, grasping Yuuri’s hands in his. “Who cares about him? Yuuri! I want to be with you! As long as…as long as you’ll have me.”

Yuuri flung himself into Viktor’s arms. “Viktor!” he sobbed into Viktor’s chest. “I didn’t, I don’t want you to leave! But I couldn’t, couldn’t keep you from him…not when he’s your soulmate!”

Viktor clung to Yuuri tightly. “I sent him away, Yuuri. I sent him away. I want to be with you. Always and forever.”

Holding each other, Viktor and Yuuri wept. They cried out all their tears of pain and misunderstanding until they could cry no more. Viktor kissed the top of Yuuri’s head.

“Yuuri…will you have me?”

Yuuri leaned back out of Viktor’s embrace and smiled up at him, “Of course. Always, Viktor. Always and forever.”

~~~~

The next day, Yuuri went on to place second in the short program, and the day after that he wowed everyone with his performance of “Yuri on Ice,” skating as cleanly as he had ever skated. He took gold at the Grand Prix final. His coach kissed him soundly as soon as he stepped off the podium.

Observers would note that the light of Viktor’s match device was glowing. They would note that it hadn’t been before. They knew Yuuri didn’t have a device.

There were questions. There were many who disapproved. But Viktor and Yuuri didn’t care.

They had chosen each other.

They had chosen love.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I played a little fast and loose with direct canon events and soulmate au changes, but I hope it made sense! Thank you for reading!


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